respect for the dignity of human beings

8/14/2019 Respect For The Dignity of Human Beings

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espect for theespect for theignity of Personsignity of PersonsCCC 2284 2291Respect for the souls of others: SCANDAL

Respect for health: DRUGS


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Respect for the souls of others:scandal

2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior whichleads another to do evil. The person who

gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter.

He damages virtue and integrity; he may evendraw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal isa grave offense if by deed or omission another is

deliberately led into a grave offense.


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Respect for the souls of others:scandal2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by

reason of the authority of those who cause it orthe weakness of those who are scandalized. Itprompted our Lord to utter this curse:

"Whoever causes one of these little ones whobelieve in me to sin, it would be better for himto have a great millstone fastened round hisneck and to be drowned in the depth of the

sea."Scandal is grave when given by those whoby nature or office are obliged to teach and

educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribesand Pharisees on this account: he likens them

to wolves in sheep's clothing.


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2286 Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions,by fashion or opinion.

Therefore, they are guilty of scandal who establish

laws or social structures leading to the decline ofmorals and the corruption of religious practice, or to"social conditions that, intentionally or not, makeChristian conduct and obedience to the

Commandments difficult and practically impossible."This is also true of business leaders who make rulesencouraging fraud, teachers who provoke theirchildren to anger, or manipulators of public opinionwho turn it away from moral values.


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2287 Anyone who uses the power at his disposalin such a way that it leads others to do wrongbecomes guilty of scandal and responsible forthe evil that he has directly or indirectlyencouraged. "Temptations to sin are sure tocome; but woe to him by whom they come!"


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Respect for health

2288 Life and physical health are precious giftsentrusted to us by God. We must takereasonable care of them, taking into account the

needs of others and the common good.Concern for the health of its citizens requires

that society help in the attainment of living-conditions that allow them to grow and reach

maturity: food and clothing, housing, healthcare, basic education, employment, and socialassistance.


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Respect for health

2289 If morality requires respect for the life ofthe body, it does not make it an absolute value.It rejects a neo-pagan notion that tends to

promote the cult of the body, to sacrificeeverything for its sake, to idolize physicalperfection and success at sports. By itsselective preference of the strong over the weak,

such a conception can lead to the perversion

of human relationships.


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Respect for health

2290 The virtue of temperance disposes us toavoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food,alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur

grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love ofspeed, endanger their own and others' safety onthe road, at sea, or in the air.


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Respect for health: drugs

2291 The use of drugs inflicts very gravedamage on human health and life. Their use,except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a

grave offense. Clandestine production of andtrafficking in drugs are scandalous practices.

They constitute direct co- operation in evil,since they encourage people to practices

gravely contrary to the moral law


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DRUGS


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respect for the dignity of human beings

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